Leaving the rushed streets of the surrounding cities for the tranquil scenes of Hunterdon County, NJ. I am thoroughly looking forward to this long weekend!
It's not the end of summer yet, but somehow it just feels like it. Labor Day weekend is always bittersweet, because it's usually the last "free" weekend of the season, when many people travel, visit loved ones, spend more time outdoors, and for many parents and students, it signifies the beginning of the school year.
One thing I can always count on to buoy my spirits, is Frenchtown's annual Riverfest. Each year, it seems to get more and more organized, have greater outreach, and even more live outdoor music throughout the town. It's an all-day festival with fun for the whole family. If you're coming to town, please stop by Frenchtown's weekly Sunday Farmer's Market. This is a terrific way to support local farmers and purveyors, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. A key element of The National Hotel's vision is to support local and sustainable farmers--you can taste these locally sourced ingredients in all our dishes, especially our weekend Additions to the Menu that take advantage of the area's bountiful supply of farm-fresh items.
With The National Hotel open for nearly four years, I remember Labor Day weekend of 2009, when Pete and I, along with our General Manager, Marlon Aranha, were working at a feverish pace to make the renovations and repairs that would allow us to share this Frenchtown historic anchor business with the community. I remember the people who walked by our front porch as we painted, weeded, planted, etc.--many stopping, genuinely excited about the prospects; many sharing their own personal stories about when they first set foot in the building; and many outside visitors strolling through the town taking it all in.
One particular memory I have is talking to one such visitor to our little town, Rich Connolly, and catching my breath from the work at hand, we struck up a conversation. He had been friends with Claiborne Cary, former owner of The National Hotel in the 1970s, and sister of actress Cloris Leachman. He shared stories about the days when Claiborne owned the hotel, about the Cabaret Nights she held coming down the stairs in a long evening dress and performing alongside her friends, Valerie Harper, Mary Tyler Moore, and Merv Griffin. He posted these pictures of his friend, Claiborne, on our facebook page after Claiborne passed away in 2010. His tribute to her time at The National Hotel was incredibly moving, and I cannot thank him enough for sharing his precious memories with us:
Dennis Mascarpone and Sue Hladik, part of our weekly Saturday Night Live Music series in The Rathskeller Pub (a.k.a., The Rat).
Dennis, Sue, Pete, and I were invited a couple of years ago to WDVR's Friday Bleeker Street Cafe session hosted by Chris Poh and Ed Petersen, and it was such a treat to watch them perform in the studio--and it continues to be a treat every time they perform at The National Hotel. Our schedule of music (from weekly Thursday Open Mic Night--started by Frenchtown's own Alex Wolfson, to weekly Sunday Musical Afternoons, and special Wednesday Hump Day Music) are always posted on our website. Tuesday Trivia Night continues to have a solid following by patrons from both sides of the Delaware River--and it's truly a special night, hosted and organized completely by one of Frenchtown's favorite residents, Russ Coen, and our General Manager, Marlon Aranha.
I feel like I've come full circle this weekend, remembering all the wonderful people who helped us along the way, who continue to be a part of our lives. From friends volunteering to help us paint, help us clean, help us change the building from years of neglect to what it is now, I continue to be amazed at the absolute love and devotion that the community has for this historic establishment. Come on out this weekend and enjoy this lovely part of our country. There's a lot to do, if that's what you choose, but this area is also fantastic for just enjoying nature, the outdoors, the scenic vistas of the river, and taking in "life."
Pete and I continue to be grateful and in awe of everything our area neighbors continue to give to us, from their patronage to their words of encouragement and support. Having the pleasure of growing our circle of friends to include the many out-of-town visitors who come spend a day near the Delaware River, or who make their visit an overnight stay in Frenchtown, is an added bonus to our involvement with The National Hotel. Thank you again.
It's not the end of summer yet, but somehow it just feels like it. Labor Day weekend is always bittersweet, because it's usually the last "free" weekend of the season, when many people travel, visit loved ones, spend more time outdoors, and for many parents and students, it signifies the beginning of the school year.One thing I can always count on to buoy my spirits, is Frenchtown's annual Riverfest. Each year, it seems to get more and more organized, have greater outreach, and even more live outdoor music throughout the town. It's an all-day festival with fun for the whole family. If you're coming to town, please stop by Frenchtown's weekly Sunday Farmer's Market. This is a terrific way to support local farmers and purveyors, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. A key element of The National Hotel's vision is to support local and sustainable farmers--you can taste these locally sourced ingredients in all our dishes, especially our weekend Additions to the Menu that take advantage of the area's bountiful supply of farm-fresh items.
With The National Hotel open for nearly four years, I remember Labor Day weekend of 2009, when Pete and I, along with our General Manager, Marlon Aranha, were working at a feverish pace to make the renovations and repairs that would allow us to share this Frenchtown historic anchor business with the community. I remember the people who walked by our front porch as we painted, weeded, planted, etc.--many stopping, genuinely excited about the prospects; many sharing their own personal stories about when they first set foot in the building; and many outside visitors strolling through the town taking it all in.
"THIS IS AN INVITE THAT I GOT FROM CLAIBORNE CARY WHEN I WAS 18 YRS OLD TO COME AND VISIT AT THE NATIONAL HOTEL IN FRENCHTOWN (OH AND BY THE WAY, YOU COULD DRINK AT 18 BACK THEN). SHE ALWAYS OPENED HER SHOW BY SAYING..." AND NOW LADIES AND GENTLEMAN, LIVE FROM THE NATIONAL HOTEL IN FRENCHTOWN, NJ, ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE SUNOCO STATION, AND 4 MILES DOWNRIVER FROM UPPER BLACK EDDY, WOULD YOU PLEASE WELCOME".....WHOEVER HER GUEST OR GUESTS MIGHT BE....CLASSIC CLAIBORNE CARY....SHE WAS A BALL OF FIRE!!!"Music filled the building during those years. I promised him that our goal was to continue this tradition of music and support of the arts at The National Hotel, albeit hardly at that former scale. And these many years later, I am so glad that our commitment continues with the support, encouragement, and initiative of our Frenchtown and area neighbors. This Saturday night, we'll feature the return of a favorite duo,
Dennis Mascarpone and Sue Hladik, part of our weekly Saturday Night Live Music series in The Rathskeller Pub (a.k.a., The Rat).
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| Dennis and Sue |
I feel like I've come full circle this weekend, remembering all the wonderful people who helped us along the way, who continue to be a part of our lives. From friends volunteering to help us paint, help us clean, help us change the building from years of neglect to what it is now, I continue to be amazed at the absolute love and devotion that the community has for this historic establishment. Come on out this weekend and enjoy this lovely part of our country. There's a lot to do, if that's what you choose, but this area is also fantastic for just enjoying nature, the outdoors, the scenic vistas of the river, and taking in "life."
Pete and I continue to be grateful and in awe of everything our area neighbors continue to give to us, from their patronage to their words of encouragement and support. Having the pleasure of growing our circle of friends to include the many out-of-town visitors who come spend a day near the Delaware River, or who make their visit an overnight stay in Frenchtown, is an added bonus to our involvement with The National Hotel. Thank you again.
Please continue to email me with any feedback or questions, or leave a comment on this blog. You can also reach us at 908.996.3200, or fill out our guest inquiry page on our website. Stay up-to-date with all of the activities and programs we have planned for the summer:
